These days, ticks aren’t just a minor annoyance. They can carry Lyme disease, a potentially dangerous ailment. So what do you do if you find a tick on your skin? Don’t try that old trick of holding a lit cigarette near it. The tick may just burrow more deeply into your skin, and then you’ve got more problems than you started with.

If the tick is crawling on your skin or clothing, don’t crush it with your fingers—you don’t want tick innards (which carry disease) on you. Rather, flick it away, and smash it between two rocks—then wash your hands. If it’s already attached itself to you, cover the tick with some oil—olive oil, motor oil, suntan oil, any kind will do. That’ll make the little pest loosen its grip. Then, carefully (with tweezers) remove the entire tick, and wash the bite area well.